


Surprise

by jenefur



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Canon - Movie, Fluff, Gen, Modern AU, Or As, could be read as, happy birthday bucky barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 05:51:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3517799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenefur/pseuds/jenefur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What the fuck is this?”</p><p>"Those are balloons, Bucky.  They are plastic bags, filled with helium that allow them to stay afloat. They come in variety of colors-“</p><p>“Yes, Captain Dumbass, I know what balloons are. Why are there a hundred of them floating around in the living room?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprise

“What the fuck is this?”

“Those are balloons, Bucky. They are plastic bags, filled with helium that allow them to stay afloat. They come in variety of colors-“

“Yes, Captain Dumbass, I know what balloons are. Why are there a hundred of them floating around in the living room?”

Steve looks at him from the couch, a book in his hand, feet splayed out in front of him. His eyes are wide when he looks up at Bucky, lips puckering slightly.

“I don’t know. I guess I was feeling a bit… festive.”

Festive. _Festive._

“I don’t want a party, Steve.” Bucky says, turning into the kitchen. He opens the fridge and sees Tupperware and foil wrapped dishes. It’s three times the amount of food they had in there the day before.

“Party? No body said anything about a party.” Steve voice comes in behind them, higher pitched than normal. Bucky bites the disgruntled sigh back into his mouth and turns to him.

“Seriously. Do not throw me a party.” Bucky says, facing him. Steve’s got his eyes back on his book, fingers fiddling through the pages. It’s obvious that he’s not looking at the words on the page.

“I’m not.” Steve says, hands turning another page. 

“Good.” Bucky says turning to leave into his room, “Get all of these balloons out of our apartment.” 

“Don’t worry. They’ll be moved somewhere else later.”

“I don’t want a party, Steve!” Bucky says, closing his room door behind him. 

“Then you won’t get one,” Steve’s voice sing-songingly sounds from behind the door.

-

There’s a piece of paper with his name written in cursive sitting on the bathroom counter. When he goes to pick it up, a hand comes down and snatches it away. 

“Don’t look at that.” Steve says, eyes looking away from him.

“Why?” he says back with an accusatory tone.

“No reason.” 

“Steve. I don’t want a party.”

“Yes. You’ve said that already”

“Then don’t throw me one,” Bucky says, going to open the closet. As he reaches for the door handle, a hand comes down and pulls it away. 

“Nope. Don’t open that.”

“ _Steve._ ”

“Tony mentioned something about bugs in the building. Could be hiding everywhere. Best not to open small dark spaces.”

“Steve, are you fucking kidding me with this. I need to get my shoes.” 

“Then I’ll get them for you. Better me get attacked by bugs than you right?” Steve goes and opens the closet. He barely peeks inside before he closes it shut again. 

“Here you go,” Steve says, holding his shoes with a smile shinning bright on his face.

Bucky takes them from him, lips curled in a slight sneer. “I don’t want a party, Steve.”

“Mhm.” Steve replies, smile still bright as he leads Bucky out of the room. 

-

“Why is Nat texting you that ‘everyone will be downstairs at 8 for the surprise’?”

“I have no idea. Maybe she meant to text someone else. It’s probably for Clint.” 

“Steve, “ Bucky says, hand running exasperatedly through his hair, “I don’t want a party.”

“I am not throwing you a party.” Steve says, hands coming up to his sides. His eyes are wide, looking up then down.

“You’re a terrible liar.” Bucky closes his eyes, hands coming pinch the bridge of his nose. This was getting ridiculous.

“Ok.” He says, hands coming down, eyes turned up to look at Steve. Steve still has a wide-eyed expression on his face, “I’m going out. When I come back, I want all of this done. No balloons, no food, nothing. I don’t want a party. Steve, are you listening? I. Do Not Want. A Party.”

“Ok.” Steve says, nodding his head.

“Ok.” Bucky repeats, turning towards the front door.

“Oh, by the way, while you’re gone, Buck, can you pick up like 5 bags of chips and 3 or 4 cases of beer? Just get whatever kind you want.”

“ _Steve!_ ”

“What?” Steve’s voice is high and his eye wide and his mouth is holding back a smile, “You don’t like chips?”

“Argh!” 

The front door closes with a resounding slam.

-

When he comes back to the apartment, there are too many cars packed outside, none of the lights are on, and Steve is sitting with a stupid smile on his face, waiting for him.

Bucky bites back a groan and sits next to him on the porch.

“Surprise.” Steve says, smile lighting up his face.

“It’s not a surprise. I already knew you were doing this.” Bucky mumbles out, voice grumbling slightly. 

Steve laughs lightly next him, before he sighs happily. It’s quiet and a bit cold on their street. Bucky can see frost starting to form onto the car windows.

“It’s not a big deal.” Bucky says, voice coming out quiet, “It’s just another day. I didn’t.. you didn’t have to make this a big deal.”

“Of course it’s a big deal, Buck.” Steve says, voice soft, “It’s your birthday.”

“Steve,” Bucky says struggling slightly to find the words, “It doesn’t need to be. I don’t remember most of them anyway. And after everything I’ve done, I-“ he stops, words faulting, “It’s not a big deal. This isn’t something we should be celebrating.”

Steve looks at him quietly, eyes scanning over his face. A short breeze ruffles through his hair.  
“We really missed you.” Steve says, voice sounding out a bit louder than before. Steve’s hands come up and hold on to his, hold hard and firm. 

“I missed you. I missed you a lot.” Steve fingers run over his knuckles slightly, keeping the touch light, “And I know you still don’t remember a lot of things, but maybe that’s why you need this. So you can start again.”

Steve eyes are soft and light. And even though his hands grip Bucky’s firmly, he gives him enough room to pull away. 

Bucky sighs a little and leans slightly into Steve. 

“…15 minutes. 15 minutes and then everyone has to leave.”

He doesn’t have to look at Steve to know a smile is on his face.

“So you didn’t go crazy and invite a bunch of people did you?”

“Oh no, no. Just some friends. People from work. People from the city. Maybe some of your fan club-“

“ _Steve._ ”

“Hey the ladies at the Y made you a lovely slideshow-“

“Slide- oh fuck this, I’m going.”

“Bucky, you just have to sit through a couple speeches about all the great things you’ve done and eat some cake! It’ll be great!”

“ _Speeches._ For fuck’s sake, tell me the governor isn’t here in our apartment building.”

“Oh no no.”

“Good.”

“…The mayor might be though.”

“ _Steve!_ ”

-

There’s drinking and photos and cake. 

And when Steve asks Bucky after if he liked his not- so-surprise-surprise party, he admits that it wasn’t something he minded remembering.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Bucky Barnes Birthday Bash as suggested on tumblr
> 
> This is unbeta-ed so if you see any issues please let me know. 
> 
> You can come talk to me here if you'd like: [x](http://sokovia.tumblr.com/)


End file.
